United States not keeping up with international tourism rise

The United States isn't keeping up with a rise in international tourism.

United States not keeping up with international tourism rise

February 16, 2019

Whilst the rest of the word is seemingly seeing an increase in tourism from foreign countries, the United States doesn't seem to be keeping up with this trend, despite welcoming large numbers of tourists across the 50 states.

A study has found that whilst 1.3 billion people worldwide visited foreign countries in 2017, the Unites States "has yet to benefit from this trend".

The study's authors shared: "Blame the strong dollar or tougher visa vetting procedures, but the numbers are undeniable: As places like Canada and the U.K. welcome tourists in droves, the U.S. is receiving fewer foreign visitors. Even students around the world are shying away, with international enrolment at U.S. colleges and universities dropping 4 percent during the 2017-2018 school year."

It was also revealed that many people from English-speaking nations visited the United States, whilst Asian tourists were also one of the larger groups to visit the US.

The study noted: "English-speaking nations are major suppliers of tourists to America: Ireland and Jamaica had more than 1,200 visitors to the U.S. for ten thousands, and over 6 million U.K. residents traveled to the U.S. between 2017 and the middle of 2018. Asian tourists also arrived in large numbers, with Japan, China, and South Korea each ranking within the top five for total visitors. China represents a particularly compelling case. While 4,399,250 tourists is a substantial figure, far more are likely to set foot in America in the years to come. While just 7 percent of Chinese citizens have a passport currently, they're projected to account for a quarter of all global travel by 2030."